Alpine Meadows is a Solar-Powered Retreat

This is a rustic-modern retreat in the Alpine Meadows area near Lake Tahoe, California. The owner, Todd Greenhalgh, wanted solar power and alpine views and CCS Architecture delivered just that. The south-facing roof has 600 square feet of solar and all the main rooms hug the south wall to hold a view of the surrounding Sierra Nevada mountains.

Greenhalgh House – or Alpine Meadows — was designed by Cass Calder Smith and Bryan Southwick of CCS Architecture, built by Dean and David Construction, and had the solar installed by JPVT Solar.

The rooftop solar arrangement includes photovoltaics and thermal hot water. When the owner splits time in San Francisco, electricity is created and stored for later – in fact, the home is grid connected and also grid independent. PV panels power an electronic hot water heater and, in turn, radiant floor heating, while hot air that’s trapped between the panels and roof is used for additional heating.

To facilitate cross ventilation, Alpine Meadows has operable windows and sliding glass doors on both sides of the home.

One feature you may notice in the photos is a wall that’s framed with blackened plate steel for a custom fireplace, television, and bookshelf. The owner wanted a place to entertain, so there’s room enough for a pool table, a recreation area, and a guest bedroom. The home has about 2,250 square feet and was built with a budget of $650,000.

The location terminology is a little confusing here, relative to the ski area names. Olympic Valley is the location of the Squaw Valley ski area, which hosted the 1960 Winter Olympics. Alpine Meadows is another ski area not far away, but not in Olympic Valley.

This is a bit confusing, but as someone who’s lived in the Reno-Taho area since 1978, I’ll try to help clear it up. Olympic Valley is the Valley that Squaw Valley ski area is located in. Alpine Meadows ski area is in it’s own valley, just to the south ( the other side of the hill) of Olympic Valley. As of this year, the two ski areas are now owned by the same corporation so one pass works for both. A. M. has been much more low key than S.V. Beautiful!

What I don’t know, and maybe someone here can help me with my question, is how this house can be on and off-grid at the same time? Here in Nevada, that is highly illegal because of the possible danger to power company workers who might have to be working on downed lines.